PROBLEM SOLVING THERAPY

Selecting and Establishing Generating implementing evaluating implementing evaluating activity

defining the realistic and alternative decision and choosing the preferred the scheduling
problem achievable solutions making solutions solution outcome
goals guidelines (action plan) ( in the next
call or
session
Making a list. The goal Listing at least Counselor and A thorough List out the Before
Starting with the
least problematic should be five solutions. clients create a examination steps in moving on
aspect achievable list of the pros of all implementing to choosing
within and cons for solutions the solution another
reasonable each potential problem
amount of solution the
effort & counselor
time. must always
make an
effort to
assure that
the client
understands
the
connection
between
problem
 solving
efforts & a
positive
mood state.

Specifics of the Client and Does the Comparing Consider all

problem: What counselor must
are the withhold solution meet solutions potential
functional judgment long term and obstacles
correlates of the
short goals
problem? What
are the
repercussions of
this problem? (
sub-problems)
Why the problem
hasnt been
solved?
What all the
client has tried?
What barriers he
encountered?
Breaking it down the solutions What is the The solution
into smaller
must come impact the that should
parts: eg-Being
from the solution will be selected is
poor is a large
client, not have on the the one with
problem, with
counselor client, other the least
many potential
people and/ or number of
issues
society. negative
consequences
& the largest
number of
 positive
outcomes
associated
with it.

*Problems Is the solution

should be feasible
redefined and
goals newly
specified in
case an imp
aspect of the
problem has
been left out
& thus no
solution is
working.
Techniques for probing:

Listening for strengths: Counsellor: What has prevented you from giving up even though things have been so bad? ( listening for clients coping mechanisms which can
later be added to solutions-things that work for the client)

Curious / Not Knowing: You must have a good reason to. Counsellor: Matt, weve been talking about your drinking problem for the last 30 minutes and it occurred
to me that you must have some very good reasons for drinking excessively. ( identifying any secondary benefits of a problem state, which points out why the client is
doing something or maintaining something that is counterproductive)

Goals/Possibilities:
Counsellor: How are things for you when you are able to do what you want?

Counsellor: Tell me then, what would you be doing differently if you had more fresh air in your life?
Caller: Hmmm I guess I would be able to do a bit of traveling. It has been a while since I went for a vacation
Counsellor: What else?
Client: Well, I guess I would not be feeling guilty leaving him, I would like to have the confidence to do so.
Counsellor: What small step would be a sign of having a little confidence to do that?

Miracle question. The question may require a leap of the clients faith by imagining how their life will change when the problem is solved

Counsellor: Supposed that tonight, while you were asleep, that was a miracle and this problem was solved. Only you dont know that it is solved because you were
asleep.What will you notice different the next morning that will tell you that there has been a miracle?
Counsellor: What would it take for you to make it happen?

Exceptions:

Counsellor: Can you think of a time in the past day (week, month or year) when you and your husband fought less or not at all?
This deliberate de-emphasis of problems and exceptions can generate solutions. The counsellor may expose exceptions in life examples and using these instances
as resources for constructive solutions.

Once an exception has been identified it should be explored in detail with follow-up questions such as In what ways are things different for you then? What do other
people notice? What else? The more concrete and meaningful the detail to the client, the more likely it is to facilitate change.

Coping:

Coping questions attempt to draw clients attention away from the fear, loneliness and misery of ones life or event. In this situation, we refocus on what the clients are
can do or currently doing to survive their pain (Berg & De Jong, 1999). Counsellors can use questions such as these.
Counsellor: What have you done previously to deal with your depression?
Caller: I dont know. Talking about it helps
Counsellor: What else?

Using scaling questions

Counsellor: How hard are you willing to work on the problem which prompted you to make this call. Lets say that 10 means that you are willing to do anything to quit
drinking and 0 means that you are willing to do nothing to continue drinking excessively. How hard, from 0 to 10 are you willing to work?
Caller: Id say 8
Counsellor: 8, thats pretty high on the scale. Where does all the willingness to work come from?
Caller: I have to do this for me and my family.

Some Socratic questioning are as follows:

1. What is the evidence that supports this idea?

What is the evidence against this idea?
2. Is there an alternative explanation or viewpoint?

3. What is the worst that could happen (if Im not already thinking the worst)?
If it happened, how could I cope?
What is the best that could happen?
What is the most realistic outcome?

4. What is the effect of my believing the automatic thought?

What could be the effect of changing my thinking?

5. What would I tell [a specific friend or family member] if he or she were in the same situation?
6. What should I do?